Project Profile

Mbeya NT Cluster | Wanji

This language group is participating in the Mbeya NT Cluster project.

About 28,000 Wanji speakers live in the mountains east of Mbeya, Tanzania. They are relatively isolated by the terrain and don’t travel much outside their homeland, but they’re known as a friendly and hospitable people. Most are farmers, growing crops such as potatoes, corn, beans and wheat to feed their families and sell for income.

Church leaders have organized a translation and literacy team to attend workshops offered by SIL in Mbeya. The team has laid a foundation for translation with careful linguistic work. They developed a new way of writing their language and have been compiling a dictionary and studying how their language functions. Some team members are teaching Wanji people to read so they will benefit from the new translation. The team began by drafting Jonah, Ruth and Mark, and their progress continues from there.

News from the Field
  • Apr06

    Mbeya of Tanzania

    There are 10 languages in the Mbeya cluster, living in the mountains and plains of southeastern Africa: Bena, Bungu, Malila, Ndali, Nyakyusa-Ngonde, Nyiha, Safwa, Sangu, Wanji, and Kinga. Praise the Lord that the project is fully partnered. In 2003, several church leaders formed a council to initiate Bible translation projects for their people. Forty leaders representing 10 languages and nine Christian denominations have committed to the project.

    Continue Reading

  • Sep24

    Mbeya Cluster of Tanzania

    The Mbeya cluster touches over 3 million speakers of 10 languages that live in the mountains and plains of southeastern Africa. In 2003, several church leaders formed a council to initiate Bible translation projects for their people. Forty leaders representing 10 languages and nine Christian denominations have committed to the project.

    Continue Reading

Found in: